How to Get Rid of Bugs in Your Home

How can the homeowner make his or her home less attractive to bugs? Here are some hints gleaned from the experts on how to get rid of bugs in your home.

First of all, the best plan of attack is to keep as many as possible outside.

• If your house sits on a raised foundation, the crawl space is a natural breeding ground for insects and bugs. Try to keep it well ventilated and dry.

• Decks are notorious for harboring roaches. Make sure there’s air circulation underneath your deck, especially if it’s attached to the house. Keep shrubbery around your house trimmed and rake mulch a few inches out from the foundation.

• Use weather stripping to seal doors and windows. Insects and bugs also gain entry to your house through cracks around water pipes; caulk or stuff steel wool into those areas. Inside your house, cleanliness is a key to pest control.

• Vacuum as often as twice a week and replace vacuum bags often to dispose of eggs and larvae.

• If you store soft drink cans and bottles in your kitchen or utility room for recycling, rinse them out thoroughly. Bugs love the syrup. Just like the pet food.